5×
hotter than the surface of the Sun
Lightning is about five times hotter than the surface of the Sun — and that difference is exactly what makes thunder.
A lightning bolt heats the surrounding air to roughly 50,000°F (~27,760°C) — about five times hotter than the Sun's surface.
Energy from a lightning channel heats the air briefly to around 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, much hotter than the surface of the sun.
lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit… 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.
The charge carried by a bolt of lightning is so intense that it has a temperature of 30,000°C (54,000°F) – that's five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.
two temperatures
The Sun's surface runs around 5,500 degrees Celsius.
The Sun's visible surface (photosphere) is approximately 5,500°C (5,778 K).
Energy from a lightning channel heats the air briefly to around 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, much hotter than the surface of the sun.
lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit… 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.
The charge carried by a bolt of lightning is so intense that it has a temperature of 30,000°C (54,000°F) – that's five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.
AIR
is a terrible conductor, and that is the point
When lightning strikes, it forces electricity through air — air is a terrible conductor, and that resistance superheats the channel to roughly 30,000 degrees in milliseconds.
A lightning bolt heats the surrounding air to roughly 50,000°F (~27,760°C) — about five times hotter than the Sun's surface. The rapid heating of the lightning channel causes violent air expansion → shockwave → thunder.
Energy from a lightning channel heats the air briefly to around 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, much hotter than the surface of the sun.
lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit… 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.
The charge carried by a bolt of lightning is so intense that it has a temperature of 30,000°C (54,000°F) – that's five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.
CRACK
At that temperature, the channel expands so violently it breaks the sound barrier — the crack of thunder is the shockwave.
The rapid heating of the lightning channel causes violent air expansion → shockwave → thunder.
HOTTEST
thing in your local sky
One bolt, for a fraction of a second, briefly becomes the hottest thing in your local sky.
A lightning bolt heats the surrounding air to roughly 50,000°F (~27,760°C) — about five times hotter than the Sun's surface.
Energy from a lightning channel heats the air briefly to around 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, much hotter than the surface of the sun.
lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit… 5 times hotter than the surface of the sun.
The charge carried by a bolt of lightning is so intense that it has a temperature of 30,000°C (54,000°F) – that's five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.
WATCH
from a safe window, and know what it is
Next time a thunderstorm passes through, watch from a safe window — and know what you're actually looking at.
“"Hotter than the sun's core."”
The core (~15,000,000°C) is far hotter than lightning (~30,000°C). Script explicitly says "surface of the Sun." Never says "core."
“"Hotter than the corona."”
The solar corona (1–3 million °C) is far hotter than lightning. Script makes no mention of the corona.
“Exact figure (20,000°C vs. 30,000°C vs. 27,760°C).”
NASA's Global Hydrology and Climate Center cites 20,000°C (3×); NOAA/NWS says ~27,760°C (50,000°F, ~5×); BBC/CRC Handbook says 30,000°C (~5.4×). Script uses "roughly 30,000 degrees" following the BBC/CRC figure and "about five times" following NOAA/NWS. "Roughly" hedges the measurement spread.
Publishing what we refused to claim is the strongest evidence the rest was checked.